Happy Thanksgiving 2007

Not much to report other than a full belly, some great football, and dinner with friends and loving family. I also spent the weekend throwing up the Christmas lights. I'll post some pics of that when I get off dead arse. Nothing wears me out more than putting up Christmas lights. We finished off the left overs as well. So I consider the weekend a complete success. Now to survive the rest of the season.Wish me luck.

Jack and Jesse got elbow-deep into the cupcake baking process.

Love it!

Bee Movie Just Wasn't Good

No value scores here. I came home the other day to find my 4 year old son totally psyched that we were going to see the Bee Movie. Needless to say, I was pretty excited as well. I love spending one-on-one time with the boys. This was a great chance and I was welcoming it. Here's where stuff goes bad. The movie is just not right for kids. I got most, if not all, of the jokes. I don't think Jack got one. It is purely adult oriented. How many small kids are going to understand a Bee taking humans to court over the use of Bee Honey. The whole premise is pretty odd but I was ok with that at first. Then it got violent. In one scene the main star, the bee played by Jerry Seinfeld, has a dream sequence about flying with his new human girl friend while she flies an ultra-light. Next thing you know she crashes in a ball of flames into a cliff, falls to the ground and explodes again. My son was pretty shaken and I was pretty pissed. I know what you are going to say, "It's rated PG so why did you take him?" I hear you but it's pretty tough to explain to the little guys that this animated and fun looking movie just isn't for them. I wasn't happy and I'm telling everyone with little guys, and gals, to stay away. I'll get off of my soap box now. We have been watching The Jungle Book recently. Big winner despite some scary scenes. Just not that scary. Love it.

Fun Chicago Sunday at Kohl's Children's Museum

Ranking: Value - 4 out of 5; Dad Fun Factor - 4 out of 5; Kid Fun Factor - 4 out of 5

It was a fun day today. Not very nice out, with a little drizzle and cool breezes. Pretty much perfect for a day at the Children's Museum. I've previously posted that the best deal on children's museums around Chicago is to join the Rockford museum and use it's reciprocal agreements to go to the other Chicagoland museums. That holds true here. I have to admit I love the Kohl's museum. It's just neat. I found this blog elsewhere from someone who visited this weekend as well and he touches all of the stuff I like (Mark Czerniec). We especially like the fact it's all one floor. You enter next to the gift shop (they all have one next to the entrance), flash them the membership card, and buzz into the main corridor that links all of the various sections. We arrived around 2:30 pm and realized right away the place was silly with birthday parties. Normally that would mean we would be crowded out. Instead, it was pretty comfortable. The numerous party rooms were all packed but that's not my concern.

We usually split up at this point. I'll take either little man and follow him around. Mom takes the other and does the same. Today I ended up with the older little man and we made a b-line for the interior decorating (painting, wallpapering, and flooring) section. He especially loves the ability to re-brick the exterior of the simulated house. We puttered around the water area had a quick lesson on sailing. They have a ton of water flying around a small room resulting in thrilled kids and pretty unhappy moms. Love it. I saw this one mom with an expensive jacket interacting with her daughter like she was covered in raw sewage. I simply dive and and expect to get wet.

Jack next eye-balled the exterior gardens which are worth a special note. It was pretty cold out so we went out to spend 5 minutes pretending to fly the over sized model airplane. I couldn't help but notice that people were starring out the windows at us like we were freaks. Hey, get over it. It's all about the kids man. We, of course, retreated almost immediately. The thing about the outside is that it's really cool. They have many, many sculptures to climb, a neat tunnel to scamper through, and ample space for a pic-nic. None of that was applicable today.

We spent about 2 hours roaming the exhibits today. We spent at least 20 minutes at the television stage. Here Jack put on a great show while watching himself on the t.v. monitor. It's as close to being a real Wiggle he's going to be this week.

We finished the day at the cafe. It is an overpriced eatery that has only one real attraction: make your own pretzel. You read that right. For a not-so-modest $6 you can build your own pretzel with a strong of dough, food coloring, chocolate chips, marshmallows, and cinnamon sugar. YUM! The last time we came it wasn't very popular but this time it was pretty busy. Kids were all into it and I was one of them. I also ate a pretty good Herb and Cream Cheese pretzel while we waited for the kid-made specials to cook.

We really like this Children's Museum. It's not the newest in town but it sure looks like it. They keep it in great shape and very fresh. There are many more corporate sponsorships than I like but my boys don't know any real estate companies anyway so their consumer dollar isn't being influenced and I can handle myself. The bathrooms are numerous and pretty nice. I found no hand towels after washing my hands and the trash was over flowing. Small complaints. The staff is really into the kids or they are pretty good fakers. Either way, it's a plus. I you have crumby day to kill or it's colder than you like outside, come spend the day at the Kohl's Children Museum. It's definitely worth it.

Out without the Boys to Kmart in Rockford

Quick note today. Not much for the parental units but I made in interesting discovery today. I was i Rockford doing some me stuff and dashed into a store I never go into: Kmart. I usually go to Target and Jewel for my "stuff" but I was right there at Kmart and dashed in. I was an old store but with some really new stuff. It's much more open, has a new floor, and is brighter and fresher. It still looks a little dated but I liked it better than more local Target which is a big step. The staff all have new uniforms in a cool blue color and there is a lot of new technology things. I checked email at their "Internet" cafe. The connection was slow but it worked. That's half the battle. I give them a thumbs up. Check it out if you can. I guess they did this only in Rockford so don't bother looking anywhere else in Chicagoland. Enough of the commercial for the once crusty Kmart. It's a lot cooler now. At least here.

Chicago O'Hare Airport Children's Area

Ranking: Value - 5 out of 5; Dad Fun Factor - 1 out of 5; Kid Fun Factor - 4 out of 5

Here's the deal on this one. It's never fun to travel with little people (kids) but it's even worse when you get to the airport late and miss your flight. Guilty! Here's how you kill 5 hours of your life at the Chicago O'Hare Airport with your children. 1) Head to Terminal 2. It's not hard to get around the airport if you have feet and even easier if you don't. 2) Buy yourself some Quiznos (and for the kids) if you are hungry. 3) Walk the 10 feet from Quiznos to the O'Hare Children's Museum play area. It's actually sponsored by the Chicago Children's Museum and it's great. It's better than great. It is situated in a quite part of the terminal with two family restrooms in loud-talking distance. We lived through our delay with flying colors and the boys had a blast. They have large, interactive airplanes to pretend to fly, cargo areas you can toss luggage around (just like the real workers...kidding....mostly), and a control tower with radios and dials and stuff. For a toddler or preschooler it's awesome. I give it a Dad Fun Factor of 1 out of 5 because frankly, if you are there you are having a bad day anyway. But the kids enjoyed it and I'd do it again. If you are visiting Chicago and flying through O'Hare then you need to check it out. It's off the beaten path but there are a few signs. There is also a Starbuck's right there if you need some C.O.F.F.E.E. (sing the Ralph's World tune here).

I don't have any pics (except this stolen one) or links here so you'll have to imagine smiling faces and squeals of joy. Talk at you next time.

Going the Easy Route at Elgin McDonald's

Ranking: Value - 4 out of 5; Dad Fun Factor - 2 out of 5; Kid Fun Factor - 4 out of 5

This has got to be the cheesiest post I'm going to do for some time. I had every intention of taking the pack to the Rockford Children's Museum today but blew the timing. I forgot that all of the local children's museums open at noon on Sundays. I needed to get the boys out of the house this morning and it's getting cold with rain. So where can I go at 9:00 am on a Sunday? Why McDonald's. Not the fanciest of places but this one has the cleanest play area around. It's a nice McD's anyway. It's one of their remodeled franchises with a more deli-like appearance. Before you get all up in my grill over the quality of food I have to admit we ate nothing. In fact, my only purchase was a medium coke. I asked for two small cups for ice water as well. No problem, no cost. And they had a blast. Jesse, #2 at age 2 yrs, really got into following his big brother around the maze. It's a pretty elaborate set up with many slides, chambers, windows, etc. It was really clean today; like it was just cleaned this morning. It's a safe place to spend an hour of calorie burning. The map shows where this one is located. It's on Randall Rd just South of US-20. Check it out if you need a very cheap indoor play area that will keep the gang occupied for an hour-plus. I know it's hardly a tip but you may need reminding.

Elgin Public Library

Ranking: Value - 5 out of 5; Dad Fun Factor - 2 out of 5; Kid Fun Factor - 4 out of 5

Don't get the wrong message from the Dad Fun Factor score. This one is not about me. It's mostly about the boys. This is one great library. All hail the money Elgin gets from the casino. It really has made a big difference here. One of the great additions to the community, besides me, is the library. We go there weekly. I've tried to find a few books I'm interested in while there but apparently others have the same interest and I come up short. But the boys score it big every time. They are practically known by name in the audio/visual area. We can always find great movies that are top of their mind. Wiggles, Disney, you name it, we find it. We keep a healthy supply of music in the Yukon. The best part, and what makes the library special, is that we can keep movies for up to a week and music for a month. We're going tomorrow to get a copy of The Jungle Book. It's going to be great.

I can understand if you are a little uneasy going to a library. It's a little intimidating. Here are a few key benefits. One, it's free. Of course, not if you don't live in Elgin. But I'm hoping you have one where ever you are. Secondly, this library is right on the Fox River and has great grounds if you want to simply get out. Thirdly, the kids section is great. It has book and books and books. It also has a cool play area and fish. Nothing can entertain like fish. The play area isn't large but it's fun for little guys. I can pretty much chill and keep an eye on them at the same time. If you have the chance, check it out. I'm a big fan.

Check out their website at: www.elgin.lib.il.us. It's not too great but it's a good gateway.

Eating at Chipotle

Ranking: Value - 4 out of 5; Dad Fun Factor - 4 out of 5; Kid Fun Factor - 4 out of 5

We don't eat out very often (as you can see from the posts on taking food to every activity we do) but when we do go out we're picky. We aren't at a point in the boys' lives that we want to hit the top notch restaurants yet. They aren't ready to sit through a long service at all and would simply implode. So we hit the spots that are kid friendly. I don't mean to push any one place over another but one that I really like is Chipotle. We started going there about 5 years ago while living in Kansas City. Here's what I like. One, we order it at the counter and not from a waitress. That's a big plus when we're looking to eat now and not in 20 minutes. The second is the simplicity of the foods. Jack, my 4 year-old, calls the place "Chicken-Rice-and Beans" and for a good reason. That's all he wants and that's all he gets. Mom and I get some pretty complicated burritos and that's what we like. The second thing we like about Chipotle is the price. It's not cheap by any means but we can all eat really, really well for $22. One word of caution. They have high chairs out the wazoo but not a single booster. We always take our own for Jack. Easy fix. If you haven't tried it maybe give it a shot. I like a ton of other places but this is one of the consistent winners for us.

For my info check it out at: http://www.chipotle.com/

Three Stars for Six Flags Great America

Ranking: Value - 3 out of 5; Dad Fun Factor - 3 out of 5; Kid Fun Factor - 4 out of 5

I know what you are thinking, "Six Flags is done for the year. Why bother?". I figure that if you are thinking about buying a season pass early, like now, and you care about my opinion, you may want this now. His the story. We really like going to Six Flags. It's a ton of fun and the new Wiggles World area is really great. We love the rides in Wiggles World. They are all set for little guys (and gals). The Big Red Plane is cool and interactive. They can choose the flight path and feel in control. The stage show is fun. If you know the Wiggles you know the songs. I feel like a big dope half the time because I'm the only adult singing along. Come on people, loosen up! My boys love interacting with the players and there are plenty of chances. We've found we can smuggle lunch into the park for all of us in a cooler. There aren't any coolers allowed typically but you can bring snacks for small kids. Bingo! But we've had poor luck with can soda. The three times we had male security guards rifling through our stuff we made it through. The one time a chick barred the way she took the cokes. She did offer to let us drink all 4 of them right there are the entrance. Yeah right. The other good thing about the Wiggles area is they have super-sized family bathrooms. They are enormous and clean.

The rest of the park is a little sketchy. We typically hit the Wiggles and then make a run to the Loony Tunes area. There you will find a pretty nice train ride, some ancient carnival rides with a fresh coat of paint, and fun looking rope climbing thing. I say fun looking because it was closed all season. My oldest kept being disappointed. There are a ton of other rides for kids over 4' tall. None of mine are. So either wait until yours are all that tall or make do with the few small kids areas. I know I'm picking on the very demographic that buys tickets but there are a ton of teenagers roaming the park. The herds are just enormous. They don't really look out for small kids and that can cause some tears. I usually use a stroller to part the seas. It's a little like The Road Warrior.

We did Fright Fest this year as well. Not much to note during the day except the parade they run down Main Street. It's usually pretty cheesy but not during Fright Fest. During this time of the year it is pretty scary. I mean really scary for little kids. I'd avoid it at all cost. They have some great characters, like super tall werewolves on stilts and bloody zombies. Very real, especially to a 2 and 4 year old. We liked that trip in October because it was cooler and easier to relax. One note for dads. If you go in the summer there are plenty of things for look at. Wear a good set of sun glasses. They help to avoid trouble. It's a great place for bird watching in general but the summer is best. The water park is open. God bless the water park. Otherwise it would be a 2 on the dad fun factor-meter.

For more information on Great America check them out at a really good web site (take note Sycamore Fun Center) at: www.sixflags.com/greatAmerica

Apple Picking Paradise - Prairie Sky Orchard

Ranking: Value - 4 out of 5; Dad Fun Factor - 4 out of 5; Kid Fun Factor - 5 out of 5

Another trip to Union, IL and another great day. Today I talk about our visit to Prairie Sky Orchard. It was great. Just great! We went back in September so this is going to torque a few off as being a little late but save this one for next Fall. Sorry. We were looking for an apple orchard to take the boys so they could get a little country fresh air. What we found was a very family friendly place that has a large Raspberry patch, several rows of apple trees, and great pumpkin patch, and some yummy baked goods. Let's go in reverse order. We finished the trip all sitting on a pile of hay bails stuffing our crumb holes (not mom) with apple doughnuts. The best. Actually better than Goebbert's. We ate a dozen at least. I think I gained a happy 5 lbs. Jack and Jesse climbed the hay bales and had a blast. That was how it ended. Sweet.

The rest was a great build-up. The boys really got into picking raspberries and gently laying them into the tub. They must have eaten half as many as they put in. We then moved onto the apples. We grabbed a peck size bag (I don't get the peck thing but it is what it is) and ended up filling half a bushel. They have a ton of different apple types. We liked them all. So fresh and good. We made three pies as soon as we got home. The cool part is that the tress are all pruned low to the ground so we can reach most of the branches. The boys rode my shoulders so we all could reach. The Orchard is really some one's back yard so it has a very homey feel.

The neighbors have geese and turkeys and they wander around the orchard free range. That generates some land mines to avoid so keep a look out. To be fair, it was only in a small area. If you are coming a good distance you should consider hitting the Railway Museum and the Orchard in the same day. It would be killer. Make sure you grab some grub there. Apple pies are wicked simple to make so stock up on some cinnamon, butter, sugar, and Pillsbury pie dough. I probably missed something there but you get the point.

To get more info on our favorite apple orchard go to: http://www.prairieskyorchard.com/

Chicago Area Children's Museums

Every parent loves a good Children's Museum. I am no exception. We've discovered since moving to Elgin that the Chicago area has four great Children's Museums. I'm going to dedicate some blog space to each one in the very near future but I want first address something I take very seriously: Membership Fees. If you spend some hard earned cash on one "Membership" in a year I would highly recommend you pick a Children's Museum. They offer great fun, and distraction, for the buck. Trick is that you can visit pretty much every one of them in the area with a membership to any one of them. So which one should you join. My vote is for Rockford. Sure, it's a little hike out there but I'm already half way here in Elgin. And it's a good one so it's well worth the trip. It has a great outdoor activity area on a good day and it's on the river. In the interest of fairness I've listed the cost of a family membership (that has reciprocal rights) at each of the local museums:

Discovery Center of Rockford - $100 www.discoverycentermuseum.org
Chicago's Children Museum - $125 www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org
Kohl's Children Museum (Glenview, IL) - $110 www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org
DuPage Children's Museum (Naperville, IL) - $110 www.dupagechildrensmuseum.org

More to come on each very soon.